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Syracuse beats Duke in overtime, 91-89

The second-ranked Orange top Duke 91-89 in overtime at the Carrier Dome.

Jeff DiVeronica;, Staff writer;
10:41 a.m. EST February 2, 2014

Syracuse’s C.J. Fair shoots over Duke’s Tyler Thornton, bottom left, and Rodney Hood, right, in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Syracuse. Syracuse won 91-89 in overtime.
(Photo:
Nick Lisi
,
AP
)

SYRACUSE – From the moment it was announced Syracuse University would leave the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference, the anticipation began. The Orange facing mighty Duke was 2½ years in the making, and Saturday night's showdown between two of college basketball's heavyweights delivered on the hype — and then some.

"Just a great game," SU coach Jim Boeheim said. "I don't think I've been involved in a better game in here that I can remember when both teams played at such a high level. … If you paid $3,400 on the market for a court-side seat it was money well-spent. You should be happy that you did."

Late Saturday, California knocked off No. 1 Arizona 60-58, so it is almost assured when the Orange take the court against Notre Dame on Monday, Syracuse will be the nation's top-ranked team. The last time Syracuse was ranked No. 1 was during the 2011-2012 season.

The Orange (8-0 ACC) host Notre Dame (12-10, 3-6) at 7 p.m. Monday.

"That's two great teams playing as hard and as well as they can for 45 minutes," said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, Boeheim's good friend, fellow Hall-of-Famer and the only man who ranks ahead of him in wins (974-941) in NCAA history. "It's a great atmosphere."

Sophomore forward Jerami Grant scored eight of SU's 13 points in OT and senior forward C.J. Fair (28 points) and Grant (24) each set career highs. Freshman point guard Tyler Ennis had 14 points and nine assists and Trevor Cooney also had 14 points, draining both of the momentum-grabbing 3-pointers he tried.

"Fair and Grant were sensational," said Krzyzewski, whose team had won five straight.

Each scored eight straight points during different stretches in the second half to carry the Orange. "I just had a rhythm," said Fair, the ACC Preseason Player of the Year. "I was taking what I know I can make."

Said Boeheim: "CJ Fair was just phenomenal. He grew out of that good, solid player into a great player."

Quinn Cook's jumper in the final seconds of OT could have forced double OT for Duke (17-5, 6-3), but it was long. Rasheed Sulaimon's buzzer-beating 3-pointer from about 28 feet sent the game into OT, stunning the sold-out crowd. But that didn't faze this group of Syracuse players, who just keep finding ways to win.

"It just doesn't seem to bother them," Boeheim said. "They just come back and make a play."

Duke did that, too. Sulaimon's 16 points led the Devils, who trailed 38-35 at halftime and by as many as seven points with 6½ minutes left in regulation. But they made 9 of 18 shots from 3-point range after intermission, finishing 15-for-36 from deep. Krzyzewski admitted Duke was "scrambling" for shots after super freshman Jabari Parker fouled out with 1:42 left in regulation, and forward Amile Jefferson (14 points) did the same about a minute later.

Parker struggled early, but scored 11 of his 15 after the break. The ACC Preseason Rookie of the Year is projected as an NBA lottery pick in this year's draft, if he chooses to leave school. But without Parker and Jefferson in the game in OT, the 6-foot-8 Grant went work.

He bulled his way into the lane three straight times for dunks.

"They were playing a smaller defender on me and Tyler recognized that mismatch right away," Grant said.

Andre Dawkins hit a 3-pointer to open OT and another to put Duke up 87-84 with 1:21 left. But Ennis made two free throws, then after Dawkins missed a 3-pointer Grant was fouled and hit both at the line for the lead, 88-87, with 39 seconds to go.

The Blue Devils went to top-scorer Rodney Hood (14 points). The sophomore swingman drove the lane and tried to extend for a left-handed dunk, but he missed with 12 seconds left.

"We were hoping there'd be contact and then you hope that you finish it, but it's a helluva play," Krzyzewski said. "It's a big-time play."

Ennis hit two more free throws and then up 90-87 SU purposely fouled Sulaimon so he couldn't try another game-tying 3-pointer. Boeheim said the Orange tried the same strategy at the end of regulation, but Fair missed when trying to reach for a foul.

Sulaimon made both free throws to cut it to 90-89 and Fair hit one of two at the line with 5.5 seconds left before Cook's final miss.

"I thought (Syracuse) played really well and I thought we played our hearts out," Krzyzewski said. "Geez, I can't ask my team to play any harder than the way they played."

The teams had split their other four meetings, but the last game they played was 16 years ago in the Sweet 16, an 80-67 Duke win. Former Pittsford Sutherland star Ryan Blackwell was a sophomore and Prattsburgh's Marius Janulis a senior on that Orange squad.

Blackwell, who has coached in Japan for several years, was one of the former SU stars among the record crowd on Saturday. He said it was the first time he has been at the Dome for a game since 2003. Greece Athena's John Wallace, Pearl Washington, Derrick Coleman and Billy Owens were among other SU legends in attendance.

Fair called it the best game he's ever played in.

"The hype going into this game and the way I played and the way my teammates played. The game was exciting for both teams."

The Syracuse men's basketball team risks perfection with each game in 2014. So far, it hasn't blinked. Here's a look at the program's longest undefeated streaks to start the season. Amazingly, three of the longest in history have occurred in the last four years.

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Boston College stunned 'Cuse at the Carrier Dome Feb. 19 to end the Orange's winning streak at 25.USA Today Sports

2013-14

Shocked by BC

Record: 25-0

Ranked: No. 1

Snapped: Feb. 19, 2014 vs. Boston College (62-59, OT)

Boston College (7-19, 3-10) came back from a 13-point, second-half deficit to force overtime at the Carrier Dome against the nation's top-ranked team. When Trevor Cooney's last-second three in OT fell short, it meant the Orange's record-setting unbeaten streak to start the season had ended.

The following is a look at other, lengthy unbeaten streaks to start a season in team history, which team put the first blemish on their record, and how the season finished for the Orange.

Irish fans storm the court after toppling the top-ranked and unbeaten Orange.AP photo

2011-12

Cooled off

Record: 20-0

Ranked: No. 1

Snapped: Jan. 21, 2012 at Notre Dame (67-58)

Jack Cooley (17 points, 10 rebounds) took advantage of the sudden absence of Fab Melo and the Irish recorded their first win over a No. 1 team since 1987.

Final record: 34-3

NCAAs: Lost in the Elite 8 to Ohio State (77-70)

Ashton Gibbs tries to elude two Orange defenders. AP photo

2010-11

Pitt-fall

Record: 18-0

Ranked: No. 5

Snapped: Jan. 17, 2011 at No. 5 Pittsburgh (76-74)

The Panthers raced out to an incredible 19-0 lead, but Syracuse countered with a 17-0 run in a wild game at the Petersen Events Center. Pitt held on for the win and continued its recent mastery of the Orange with eight wins in nine games. The Orange would go on to lose its next three games and five of its next seven.